Frequently asked questions
In our frequently asked questions, you will find answers to key topics relating to speech therapy assessment, therapy and initial consultation. We provide guidance on what you can do and when, and what our process looks like.
Speak to your child in their best language, which is usually their mother tongue. We can express ourselves best in the language "of the heart". The child benefits from this.
If there are several languages in the family, "one situation, one language" works well. For example, the mother speaks Spanish when she is alone with the child. The father speaks Russian when he is alone with the child. When both parents are present, they speak English, their common language. In the playground, in contact with German-speaking families, the parents speak German.
Make sure that your child has regular contact with the German language from an early age. To acquire a language, the child needs three (preferably whole) days a week in which he or she is confronted with this language.
As a rule of thumb for media consumption (TV, tablet, cell phones, etc.), we recommend the following:
1-3 yearsNo media consumption. Exception: looking at their own photos with their parents or video calls with distant grandparents and relatives
3-4 years: one short sequence per day, i.e. approx. 5-15 minutes
4-5 years: one slightly longer sequence per day, i.e. approx. 10-20 minutes
Choose suitable content. Make sure that your child can follow the content. For children who are delayed in their language development, content for younger children is suitable. Watch the programs together with your child and talk about them with your child.
We advise against always having the TV or other media on in the background. All media are switched off during meals.
In principle, children from the age of 2 can receive speech therapy. Between the ages of two and three, the level of speech development can already be assessed well. If necessary, your child can then receive speech therapy support.
The child should be registered for a speech therapy assessment:
If you are worried. Your concern is crucial.
If you have the impression that your child is withdrawing, becoming silent or aggressive because he or she cannot express himself or herself sufficiently or has difficulty understanding language.
When it stutters.
The following are guidelines for healthy language development:
At the age of 24 months the child has a vocabulary of at least 50 words and produces word combinations, e.g. "Meow away", "Car broken" or "Buy mom bread". They understand simple orders and call themselves by their own name. \
At the age of 36 months the child expresses itself in complete sentences and asks questions. It is also understood by people from outside. They understand longer sentences and simple stories in picture books. They can hold short conversations and talk about the past.
At the age of four years the child expresses itself in main and subordinate clauses. They can talk about their experiences and longer conversations develop.
If you are unsure whether you should register your child for a speech therapy assessment, you can make an appointment with us for an initial consultation.
Parents are important partners in the therapy process and are of course also involved at the beginning until the child can detach itself from the caregiver for a short time.
Parents are invited to discussions during the course of therapy and informed about the specific goals of the therapy. A mutual exchange optimizes the therapy process.
Parents can contact the therapy center directly for a free initial consultation if they are concerned.
However, we cannot issue any further therapeutic measures.
This only takes place after a detailed speech therapy assessment at the Zurich Children's Hospital or the Winterthur Cantonal Hospital. Parents can also register for this themselves. As a rule, however, the pediatrician or another specialist takes care of this registration.
Talk to your child often. Pay attention to what interests your child. Where is it looking, what is it showing? For example, talk about the snail on the side of the road, the elevator switch he wants to press, the train that is coming. Let your child "help out" in everyday life and talk about what you and your child do. Look at picture books together. Show your child that you are curious about what they want to say. Keep repeating what your child has said (child: "Dade" - adult: "Yes, a cat").
The duration of therapy is individual and depends, among other things, on the linguistic and communicative abnormalities. If possible, the children come to therapy twice a week. We usually work with the children in phases of 3 - 6 months. A therapy phase is followed by a break, during which the children can consolidate what they have learned. Depending on the abnormalities and progress, the therapy sessions can be reduced to once a week.
The first four years of life are a particularly sensitive time in language acquisition. From around the age of three, young children become aware of what they can and cannot do well; they begin to compare themselves with their peers. Many three-year-old children who cannot speak intelligibly experience frustration. Some withdraw and become very shy, others show aggressive behavior. As a result, they miss out on many learning opportunities in everyday life. The earlier a child with complex language difficulties comes to therapy, the sooner these abnormalities can be addressed.
By specifically awakening or strengthening interest and motivation for language learning, children can (once again) benefit more from language opportunities and often open themselves up to further learning opportunities.